16 Jan 2019

Israel may need to invade Iran, says strategic report
Israel needs to prepare for the possibility that its battle to keep Iran from entrenching itself militarily in Syria may have to be expanded to Lebanon or to Iran directly, according to an assessment by the Institute for National Security (INSS). That is one of the recommendations that appeared in INSS’s Strategic Assessment for Israel 2018-2019 that was released and rolled out by the Tel Aviv-based think tank at a ceremony at Beit Hanasi on Wednesday.

U.S. signs Elie Wiesel genocide prevention act into law
President Donald Trump signed a law Monday declaring that the prevention of genocide and other atrocities is “a core national security interest” of the United States, adding that it is also “a core moral responsibility.” The Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act…was signed into law by Trump after it passed with an overwhelming bipartisan majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate in December last year.

Malaysia reaffirms ban on Israeli swimmers for Paralympic qualifier
Malaysia has imposed a blanket ban on all Israelis participating in events hosted by the Southeast Asian nation, as the government maintains its decision to ban Israeli athletes from taking part in the World Para Swimming Championships in July. Malaysia’s cabinet decided last week that Israelis will not be allowed to enter the country for any event, Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said on Wednesday.

How one heatwave killed ‘a third’ of a bat species in Australia
Over two days in November, record-breaking heat in Australia’s north wiped out almost one-third of the nation’s spectacled flying foxes, according to researchers. The animals, also known as spectacled fruit bats, were unable to survive in temperatures which exceeded 42C. In the city of Cairns, locals saw bats toppling from trees into backyards, swimming pools and other locations.

Germany steps up monitoring of far-right AfD party
Germany’s domestic intelligence agency is to step up monitoring of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party for suspected extremism. But the BfV agency is not yet going as far as to use informants or phone taps in its nationwide watch on AfD. AfD is the main opposition party. It entered the federal parliament for the first time in 2017, winning 94 seats in the 709-seat lower house (Bundestag).

The IRS is recalling 46,000 workers to handle tax returns
The Internal Revenue Service is recalling about 46,000 of its employees furloughed by the government shutdown…to handle tax returns and pay out refunds. The employees won’t be paid during the shutdown. With the official start of the tax filing season coming Jan. 28, the Trump administration has promised that taxpayers owed refunds will be paid on time, despite the disruption in government services caused by the partial shutdown now in its fourth week.

More chaff? Evansville-area radar blips had an answer. These don’t
Back on Dec. 10…mysterious radar blips appeared over Southern Illinois and Western Kentucky. The long lines baffled the National Weather Service… The War Zone eventually confirmed…a C-130 traveling to West Virginia from a military exercise out west released over our area huge plumes of military chaff – radar-jamming material mostly composed of aluminum. Sounds reasonable. But it does nothing to explain what happened in Maine and Florida around the same time.

Chinese schools scanning children’s brains to see if they are concentrating
Headbands that monitor concentration by reading brain signals have been trialled on thousands of Chinese schoolchildren. The devices could soon be used on millions of students across China, according to the US tech company which designed them. Massachusetts-based start-up BrainCo says its Focus 1 headbands can help teachers identify pupils who need extra assistance.

Driving out the Devil: what’s behind the exorcism boom?
As of the past few decades, it is clear that Catholic clergy are witnessing a mushrooming demand for exorcisms. An astonishing number of people undergo deliverance from demonic forces every week, not only in the developing world but also in Britain and the United States. Pope Francis, who regularly speaks about the Devil, has told priests that they “should not hesitate” to call on exorcists if they hear confessions or see behaviour indicating satanic activity.

Iran says it will keep military forces in Syria despite Israeli threats
Iran will keep military forces in Syria, the head of the elite Revolutionary Guards said on Wednesday, defying Israeli threats that they might be targeted if they do not leave the country. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that Israeli forces would continue to attack Iranians in Syria unless they quickly get out of there.

US Army seeks to buy 2 Iron Dome batteries from Israel
The United States Army has asked Congress for $373 million to buy two batteries of the Israeli-made Iron Dome missiles defense system, which has been protecting residents of southern Israel from Gaza rockets for over a decade. The Americans rarely buy weapons systems from other countries, mostly due to national security considerations but also because the US normally has the technological advantage.

CERN plans huge new $15 billion particle collider
Scientists behind the world’s largest atom smasher have laid out their multibillion-euro vision to build an even bigger one, in hopes of unlocking even more secrets of matter and the universe in the coming decades.

Report: Iran is likely setting stage for international phishing campaign
Phishing attacks only work when the target takes the bait. The email containing the link or attachment that will compromise the target’s computer has to look legitimate, from a recognizable domain. A new report says that someone — likely Iran — has been hijacking domains related to entities across the Middle East and North America, which could allow Iran to launch more, and more successful, cyber attacks.

4.4 Earthquake Rattles Garfield County Tuesday
The 4.4-magnitude earthquake was reported at 7:28 a.m. Its epicenter was about four miles southwest of Hayward, about 21 miles east-southeast of Enid, 26 miles north-northwest of Guthrie, and about 29 miles west-northwest of Stillwater.

3.0 Earthquake near Alcoa
The U.S. Geological Survey has recorded a 3.0 magnitude earthquake that hit eastern Tennessee early Monday morning. The USGS said the earthquake struck at about 4:00a.m. EST near the town of Alcoa, just southwest of Knoxville.

4.7 magnitude earthquake strikes near Ocean City
According to the United States Geological Survey, a 4.7 magnitude earthquake struck near the Ocean City area on Tuesday evening. The earthquake was about 136 miles southeast of Ocean City, Maryland around 6:30 p.m. with a depth of 10.0 km.

Alternative for Germany monitored by intelligence service as possible extremist threat
The nationalist Alternative for Germany party (AfD) was placed under extended monitoring by German domestic intelligence as a possible extremist threat on Tuesday. The AfD became the first nationalist party to sit in the German parliament since the 1960s after making dramatic gains in 2017’s election on an anti-migrant and anti-Muslim platform

‘El Chapo’ paid ex-Mexican president $100 million bribe: trial witness
Accused Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman once paid a $100 million bribe to former Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, an ex-Guzman associate testified on Tuesday that he previously told U.S. authorities. Asked if he told authorities in 2016 that Guzman arranged the bribe, he answered, “That’s right.” Reuters could not immediately reach Pena Nieto or his former spokesman for comment. He has previously denied taking bribes.

Mexicans BLASTS New Honduras Caravan — You’re Not Welcomed Here!
“Mexico is just like your country,” Gonzales added. “There are many problems and needs, and you’re not going to be much better off than you were in Honduras. Please don’t trust these manipulative agitators who are encouraging you to risk everything for nothing.” Luis Mendez was far more unwelcoming. “We do not want caravans of (emojis of rats). Fight conditions in your own country. You are not welcome here.”

For Earth’s Magnetic Field, a Rare Update
Nature reports that the Earth’s northern magnetic pole has moved so quickly since the last update of an official guide known as the World Magnetic Model in 2015 that scientists are jumping in early to update it again instead of waiting until 2020. The move was supposed to happen on Tuesday, but it will now wait until Jan. 30 because of the government shutdown. It seems the pole, whose movement is notoriously difficult to predict, is speeding away from the Canadian Arctic on its way to Siberia much faster than scientists predicted three years ago.

Strong earthquake, 6.8 mag has occurred near Sola in Vanuatu
A earthquake magnitude 6.8 (ml/mb) has struck on Wednesday, 114 kilometers (71 miles) from Sola in Vanuatu. Exact location of earthquake, longitude 166.619 East, latitude -13.396 South, depth = 10 km. Exact time and date of earthquake 15/01/19 / 2019-01-15 18:06:38 / January 15, 2019 @ 6:06 pm UTC/GMT. A tsunami warning has been issued near Sola in Vanuatu (Does not indicate if a tsunami actually did or will exist).

23 guns seized from anti-gun politician’s City Hall offices in FBI raid
Federal prosecutors revealed in a court hearing Thursday that recently-arrested Chicago Alderman Edward Burke, a powerful city councilman known for his opposition to gun rights, possessed 23 guns in his City Hall offices, the Chicago Tribune reports. The guns were discovered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation during a November raid. …the discovery was ironic, as Burke is known as one of Chicago’s leading anti-gun rights advocates.

Iran launches satellite into space, fails: report
Iran has admitted that it tried to launch a satellite into space but that the experiment failed, Israeli media reported Tuesday. Iranian Communications Minister Mohammad-Javad Azari said the rocket carrying the satellite “failed to reach the required speed in the third stage,…

Atomic Chief: ‘Iran could enrich uranium up to 20 percent within 4 days
Iran can enrich uranium up to 20 percent within four days, its atomic energy chief said on Tuesday, a comment apparently aimed at showing Tehran could quickly expand its enrichment program if its nuclear deal with world powers collapses. Iran’s 2015 accord with world powers caps the level to which it is able to enrich uranium to 3.67 percent purity, well below the 20 percent it was reaching before the deal, and the roughly 90 percent suitable for a nuclear weapon.

Democrats drop Women’s March support
The Democratic National Committee has dropped its partnership in the Women’s March over anti-Semitism concerns, the Jewish News Syndicate reported Tuesday night. The Women’s March, slated for January 19, has come under fire in recent months due to its leaders’ handling of allegations of antisemitism, with celebrities and activists openly criticizing the organizers’ actions.

Laura Loomer Brings Illegal Immigrants To Nancy Pelosi’s Home. Pelosi Has Police Remove Them.
Pelosi — who has been unwavering in her opposition to funding a wall along the southern border, which she’s classified as an “immorality” — reportedly had Loomer and the illegals removed from her property. The controversial journalist even went to check if the Pelosis had locked their front door, since, according to a sarcastic Loomer, “only bigots lock their doors.” “Come on, you can’t say everyone is welcome here and then lock your door,”

California Insurrection Will Lead to “Food As a Weapon”Back in 2013, the EBT card system failed. It began with the EBT cards going down for a couple of hours, which prevented many of the poor from buying food. The net result was that it didn’t even take a day for civil unrest to rear its ugly head before the riots began. The Federal government received a quick answer about how long it would take for the poor to riot and it was mere hours. I contend that this was a beta test designed to gauge future behavior when Obama uses food as a weapon for real. Now that time is upon us.

Pentagon: Another Round of Troops Will Head to the Border
The Pentagon on Monday announced a mission to extend the length of time active duty troops remain on the Southern border. Troops will continue to assist border patrol with and provide security through Sept 30, Reuters reported. The decision was made based on a request from the Department of Homeland Security, the agency that over sees the border patrol.